Virtual+Construction+Simulator+(VCS3)+Game+(2012)

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 * A simulation game for construction engineering education **

Grant: #1226204 ($600,000) Timeline: 2012 - 2015
 * Sponsor:** National Science Foundation

Participants: John Messner (PI), Chimay Anumba (co-PI), Ken-Yu Lin (Co-PI), Robert Leicht (co-PI), Dragana Nikolic, Sanghoon Lee, Fadi Castronovo

Project Summary
Understanding the dynamic nature of construction processes to inform essential decisions regarding resource utilization, management, sequencing, and project-related risks is critical for construction engineering students. In a project completed in 2011 (NSF Project #0935040), we developed the Virtual Construction Simulator (VCS), a construction-based engineering simulation game that provides an experiential learning environment for engineering students to explore effective construction planning by immersing themselves in a 3D building construction project. Compared to conventional methods for teaching construction sequencing, the VCS simulation game challenges students to dynamically manage project constraints, variability, and performance feedback to actively make decisions regarding construction methods, daily resource needs, and construction sequences; manage various tradeoffs in controlling project duration and cost; and observe the course and implications of these decisions over time. Our initial results showed that through this simulation game, students are better equipped to discern between as-planned and as-built construction schedules that can vary broadly due to factors such as weather and labor productivity. We have also witnessed the merits of the VCS simulation game as a motivational and engaging learning tool for construction engineering education.

Based on these promising results, we are expanding the VCS simulation game from prototype to comprehensive application by incorporating additional content, variability, levels of difficulty, and performance metrics. Our goal is to further develop the VCS into a versatile, customizable, and far-reaching educational simulation platform for implementation across all course levels within our engineering departments, at other universities, and for professional construction programs nationwide. We believe new VCS capabilities to customize content and parameters driven by course-specific learning objectives will broaden and enhance student engagement and engage users far beyond the ability of conventional construction education.